written by Lauren Dana Ellman, freelance writer and contributor to Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, The Knot, ShermansTravel, Time Out, and more.
While winter certainly has its charms — quiet mornings, shimmering snow, and plenty of hot cocoa to go around — the pull of warmth eventually returns. But escaping the cold isn’t just about chasing heat; it’s about trading one landscape for another, and sometimes a little contrast is the best cure for winter fatigue. Some travelers head to the sea, where the salty air hangs warm and the days stretch long along calm, sugar-sand beaches. Others find clarity in the desert, hiking among red rocks and wide-open skies — proof there’s no one version of a warm-weather winter escape.
Ahead, we’re spotlighting five warm-weather getaways that make it easy to trade snow for sand — from the beaches of Florida’s Gulf Coast to Honolulu’s vibrant surf-town energy.





